Titch

Pat Hutchins’s 1971 picture book Titch is a classic example of how being little can be a good thing. Titch, the title character, is a little boy who isn’t very happy being little. Though it’s never explained in the text, Titch’s unhappy expressions convey his displeasure being smaller than his sister Mary and his brother Pete very well.

Mary and Pete, both older than little Titch, the title character, are quite smug with being bigger— and shows it in their pictures. All of Titch’s stuff is smaller than Mary and Pete’s as well—his bike, his pinwheel (his brother and sister have tall kites instead), and his musical instrument. In every picture, poor Titch is either sad or confused as he watches his big brother and big sister outdo him in everything they do together.

But then, Titch provides the seed while Mary and Pete bring a big spade and a big flowerpot. At first it seems like Titch is bringing the tiniest thing yet again—but his seed grows and grows until it’s taller than Pete and Mary. As the two gawk at the looming plant, Titch stands, hands clasped in satisfaction, and smiles.

It’s an adorable story for kiddos who are frustrated with being so tiny, and the illustrations are very round and kid-friendly. Every child, while not “fat,” is very round with cute puffy clothes and obvious 1970s hairdos, making them even more adorable. The expressions are priceless in each picture, making the book perfect for describing emotions—“How does Peter look like he feels in this picture? Who is happier, Mary or Titch?”

Mostly primary colors are used, with a bit of secondary (mostly green and some orange) thrown in for a simple, pleasing color scheme—good for reviewing basic colors with very young children. This also gives the book a very childlike feel that most children will enjoy, and little to no backgrounds are used in each illustration. Some details are provided—such as shirt hems and wood grain—that round out the pictures very nicely.

Titch is a great learning experience to share with young children. Use it to stem other questions—“Why is being small sometimes better? What things can you do by being smaller than Mommy that Mommy can’t do?” Also point out that Titch will not always be little, and that he, too, may grow to pass his brother and sister like the tiny seed.